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View Full Version : Woodworkers bench is finally done.



Mac Cambra
04-20-2008, 8:46 PM
I wanted to post a couple follow-up pictures showing my bench now completed with the drawer cabinet. Anyway this has been quite a lengthy project, procrastinated a little and now it is finally done. I post some pics of the bench a while back without the cabinet insert, I think it makes a much better statement. I think this is going to be a very useful tool going forward that is if my wife doesn't steal it and put it in the kitchen.

The bench top is ~95" x ~27", the field is
"3 thick, butcher block style laminated hard maple, and the aprons are
roughly 6" wide, 8 quarter (2" thick) walnut. The base is hard maple as
well, all mortise and tenon construction, the stretchers removable with
bench bolts. The raised panels you see in the base are also made from
walnut. The front vise is a Lee Valley quick release and the end vise is the LV twin screw.

The drawer cabinet insert was built with pre-finished maple ply, with maple and walnut raised panels for the door and applied to the back. The door stiles, rails and the drawer fronts are made with some very nice curly maple.

I estimate the bench's weight right know at are 400 - 450
pounds. It doesn't move at all when I plane.

Any please let me know what you think.

Thanks, Mac

Toney Robertson
04-20-2008, 9:02 PM
Exceptional work.

You have got a couple of bucks in that. :D

Toney

tim mathis
04-20-2008, 9:06 PM
that is a well thought out bench and it looks great.

Matt Ocel
04-20-2008, 9:06 PM
SWEET!!!

How many hours you got into it?

Whats the finished height?

Norman Pyles
04-20-2008, 9:08 PM
If I built something that great looking, I would be afraid to use it.:cool:

Tom Henderson2
04-20-2008, 9:13 PM
Mac-

That is beyond gorgeous. Breathtaking.

I gotta ask... how long did you have this project in work? By that I mean calendar time...

Even if I had the skills for something like that it would take me forever.

I'm with Norman Pyles -- if I built something like that I'd be afraid to use it as a workbench....

Nice work and thanks for sharing. Seeing photos like this give me something to strive for...

-TH

Mac Cambra
04-20-2008, 9:17 PM
Matt,

It seems like it has taken forever to build but there have been interruptions in the progress because to other projects that have come up. If I were to estimate I would guess somewhere in the 200-250 hours range spread out over about a year and a half.

The finished height is 36" and the cost in materials is about $1100. At the time I was considering buying a Deifenbacher bench and to get what I wanted would have cost almost $3k which I couldn't swallow. I decided to build my own, and jazz it up a little.

Dewey Torres
04-20-2008, 9:52 PM
Nice... I was sooooo happy once I broke down and put the time into mine. If you are like me, you will notice that projects are easier to tackle and time in your shop is much more enjoyable!
Dewey

Matt Ocel
04-20-2008, 9:58 PM
Matt,

It seems like it has taken forever to build but there have been interruptions in the progress because to other projects that have come up. If I were to estimate I would guess somewhere in the 200-250 hours range spread out over about a year and a half.

The finished height is 36" and the cost in materials is about $1100. At the time I was considering buying a Deifenbacher bench and to get what I wanted would have cost almost $3k which I couldn't swallow. I decided to build my own, and jazz it up a little.


You gotta feel good with that decision!

Once again "SWEET!"

Chris Allen
04-20-2008, 10:04 PM
Beautiful. My only complaint is....

I'd like to see some larger pictures.

gary Zimmel
04-20-2008, 10:08 PM
Mac

Great workmanship on the bench and drawer cabinet. Any project you do will be even more enjoyable working on that workbench...

Greg Cole
04-20-2008, 10:13 PM
VERY NICE. I want one :rolleyes:
Looks to serve you well and stand the test of time.
Most excelent.

Greg

Bill Wyko
04-20-2008, 10:16 PM
WOW Mac! That is an incredible bench. It'll just be getting broken in, in the year 2200. That should last for centuries. Absolutly beautiful!:):):):)

john white
04-20-2008, 10:24 PM
hey mac,when i came out to your place last summer to look at the 735 you were selling you had some 8/4 walnut there and said you were building a workbench with it. did'nt think it was going to be that big. the maple and walnut look great together.great job mac, did you get all your lumber locally from bmc? john- up in melb

Mac Cambra
04-20-2008, 10:48 PM
John,

I got all of the walnut locally at the BMC and some of the maple. The rest of the maple came from Chipmunk Hardwoods in Edgewater.

How is the planer treating you? It always was a good machine for me.

Bob Knodel
04-20-2008, 11:08 PM
Inspiring!!!!! I have been tooling around with building a new bench and seeing yours makes me want to do it.

Great job!!!:D

John Thompson
04-21-2008, 12:35 AM
I won't tell you how pretty it is Mac, as that is obvious. But.. I will add that the construction and design appears to be top notch. That one should be around for several hundred years.

Well done...

Sarge..

Jon Lanier
04-21-2008, 1:11 AM
THAT is NOT a Workbench.

THAT IS a piece of ART! :eek:

Eric Sayre
04-21-2008, 1:46 AM
Walnut with Maple is one of my favorite contrasts. That Bench is Beautiful!

There is only one thing you could do to improve its looks - I think it would look better in MY garage.:D

Great job!

J. Z. Guest
04-21-2008, 8:50 AM
I think this is going to be a very useful tool going forward that is if my wife doesn't steal it and put it in the kitchen.

That is the hazard with making such nice shop furniture. ;)

Beautiful work Mac. I, for one, believe that long projects with lots of procrastination turn out the best. If we only work on them when we're in the MOOD to work on them, it means we put our whole heart into the whole project, rather than feeling like we're obligated to finish something. (at which point it turns into w-o-r-k)

The first thing you should do is go out and pound on it with a metal hammer, spill some stain on it, and chip it up a little with random hits from a chisel tip. This will give it some "street cred" and prevent you from crying the first time you nick it up during actual use. :D

Doug Hobkirk
04-21-2008, 12:20 PM
I second the request for larger pictures. Exceptional bench! Thanks for sharing, including the Parts & Labor info.